Narrative:

On july/sat/2004 I was performing instrument maneuvers with mr X who was acting as my safety pilot in his 1962 cherokee 160 (PA-28). I was preparing to perform the runway 22 VOR approach via the east 7 DME arc. Before the approach was initiated, mr X suggested that I switch fuel tanks because we had been flying for about an hour on the left fuel tank. I turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and switched to the right fuel tank. Mr X verified positive fuel pressure and I turned the auxiliary off and verified that we still had positive fuel pressure. Shortly thereafter, the engine sputtered and we lost fuel pressure. I immediately turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and mr X increased the mixture to full rich. However, fuel pressure did not return and I switched back to the left fuel tank. We still did not have any fuel pressure. I trimmed the aircraft for maximum glide and mr X told me to turn left and attempt to land on the highway. While en route to our proposed landing spot, we worked together to try to restart the engine. Mr X was at the controls for the approach and landing. I continued to try to restart the engine by switching the fuel tanks and checking the magnetos just prior to landing. After speaking to an airframe and powerplant technician, I believe that I may have inadvertently pushed the fuel valve past the right tank position. According to the technician, this could cause a low or no fuel flow situation. The valve does have detents that can be felt, however I feel if there was a system that would require both hands to put the fuel selector past the right or left tank positions, this event could have been prevented. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the pilot said there were no fuel selector locks in his aircraft. That was why it was so hard to feel the proper detents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT HAD AN ENG LOSE POWER AND MADE AN OFF ARPT LNDG AFTER SWITCHING FUEL TANKS.

Narrative: ON JULY/SAT/2004 I WAS PERFORMING INSTRUMENT MANEUVERS WITH MR X WHO WAS ACTING AS MY SAFETY PLT IN HIS 1962 CHEROKEE 160 (PA-28). I WAS PREPARING TO PERFORM THE RWY 22 VOR APCH VIA THE E 7 DME ARC. BEFORE THE APCH WAS INITIATED, MR X SUGGESTED THAT I SWITCH FUEL TANKS BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN FLYING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR ON THE L FUEL TANK. I TURNED ON THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP AND SWITCHED TO THE R FUEL TANK. MR X VERIFIED POSITIVE FUEL PRESSURE AND I TURNED THE AUXILIARY OFF AND VERIFIED THAT WE STILL HAD POSITIVE FUEL PRESSURE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENG SPUTTERED AND WE LOST FUEL PRESSURE. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ON THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP AND MR X INCREASED THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH. HOWEVER, FUEL PRESSURE DID NOT RETURN AND I SWITCHED BACK TO THE L FUEL TANK. WE STILL DID NOT HAVE ANY FUEL PRESSURE. I TRIMMED THE ACFT FOR MAXIMUM GLIDE AND MR X TOLD ME TO TURN L AND ATTEMPT TO LAND ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE ENRTE TO OUR PROPOSED LNDG SPOT, WE WORKED TOGETHER TO TRY TO RESTART THE ENG. MR X WAS AT THE CTLS FOR THE APCH AND LNDG. I CONTINUED TO TRY TO RESTART THE ENG BY SWITCHING THE FUEL TANKS AND CHECKING THE MAGNETOS JUST PRIOR TO LNDG. AFTER SPEAKING TO AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT TECHNICIAN, I BELIEVE THAT I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PUSHED THE FUEL VALVE PAST THE R TANK POSITION. ACCORDING TO THE TECHNICIAN, THIS COULD CAUSE A LOW OR NO FUEL FLOW SIT. THE VALVE DOES HAVE DETENTS THAT CAN BE FELT, HOWEVER I FEEL IF THERE WAS A SYSTEM THAT WOULD REQUIRE BOTH HANDS TO PUT THE FUEL SELECTOR PAST THE R OR L TANK POSITIONS, THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE PLT SAID THERE WERE NO FUEL SELECTOR LOCKS IN HIS ACFT. THAT WAS WHY IT WAS SO HARD TO FEEL THE PROPER DETENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.